Pipe-wrench.



1?. G. BASSO.

PIPE WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE4, 1913.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

FRANK G. BASSO, OF GREAT FALLS, MONTANA.

PIPE-WRENCH.

noeeaae.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24;, 1914.

Application filed June 4, 1913. Serial No. 771,763.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK G. Basso, a citizen of the United States, residing at Great Falls, in the county of Cascade and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe- Wrenches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in pipe wrenches, and as its principal object contemplates the provision of a tool of this nature in which the customary adjusting nut is replaced by a, pair of coacting locking jaws which may be quickly and conveniently operated to permit the movable wrench jaw to be adjusted without requiring the turning of an adjusting nut.

A still further object resides in the provision of a removable jaw face for the fixed clamping jaw of the wrench, so that when the teeth have become worn and no longer effectively bite into the pipe when the wrench is applied, it may be readily replaced by a new aw face.

A still further object is. to construct the wrench of this invention with such regard to proportion, number, and arrangement of parts, that it may be cheaply manufactured and will be durable and efficient in its action.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification and then more particularly pointed out in the claim which is appended hereto and forms a part of this application.

\Vith reference to the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the several views of which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts: Figure 1 is a side elevation, various portions of the structure being broken away to more clearly illustrate the assembled relation of the parts; Fig. 2 is a detail view of the locking bar employed in locking the movable wrench jaw in adjusted position; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section on the line H of Fig. l.

Proceeding now to the description of the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the handle of the wrench of the present invention, which may be formed of cast steel or any other similar and suitable metallic substance. The handle 1 is tapered toward its rear end, and at its forward end carries a removable fixed jaw face 2, which, as illustrated in detail in Fig. 4, is substantially T-shape in cross section, the rib 3 being disposed when in assembled position in a transverse groove 1foormed in the terminal of the wrench mem- By reference to Fig. 1, it will be observed that the removable jaw face 2 is cut away at its upper terminal to receive a lug 4:, formed integral with the handle 1. It will be readily observed that this lug 4- holds the removable jaw face against upward movement during the application of the wrench to a pipe or other structure. The adjustable gripping jaw of the preferred embodiment of this wrench consists of a substantially L-shaped bar 5, the shorter arm 6 of which is serrated on its inner face to produce gripping teeth 7, which are adapted to co-act with the teeth formed on the face of the member 2, during the manipulation of the wrench. The longer arm 8 of the adjustable jaw 5 is provided on each edge with teeth 9 and 10, and is mounted for sliding movement between a pair of side plates 11 and 12, which are bolted or otherwise secured adjacent the terminal of the handle 1 by bolts, screws, or rivets, as at 13. At its free terminal the arm 8 of the movable jaw 5 carries the stop pin 1a, which is provided for the purpose of limiting the sliding movement of the jaw 5 while it is being adjusted.

As a means for holding the jaw 5 in adjusted position, this invention employs a pair of coacting locking jaws, one of which is stationary and is designated in Fig. 1 by the numeral 15, and the other of which is movable, and is indicated in the drawing by the numeral 16. The fixed jaw 15 consists essentially of a metal bar which is bolted or otherwise secured as at 17 between the upper terminals of the side plates 1.1 and 12. This bar 15 is provided with teeth 18, similar to the teeth 9 of the arm 8. The movable jaw 16 is substantially semi-circular in shape and is pivoted, as at 19, in a slot 20 formed in the terminal of a locking bar 21, which is pivoted as at 22 between a pair of bracket arms bolted or otherwise secured to the handle 1, as at 23. One of these bracketarms, is illustrated in Fig. 1, and is desig nated by the numeral 2 1, the other bracket arm being arranged'on the opposite side of the handle 1. A helical spring 25 is ar ranged to normally hold the movable locking jaw 16in operative position, and is mounted with its lower terminal seated in a bore 26, formed in the handle 1, and its upper terminal seated in a similar and registering bore 27, formed in the locking bar rearwardly of the pivot 22. The jaw carrying terminal'of the locking bar 21 is, of course, beveled as at 28 to permit the swinging movement'of the bar in the desired manner.

The actual construction and arrangement of the several parts of the wrench of thls lnvention being thus dlsclosed, 1t now remains to descrlbe the operation of the va rious elements when the wrench 1s 1n use. Briefly, the operation is as follows: Grasping the handle 1, without applying pressure on the locking bar 16, the operator places the fixed gripping jaw 2 and adjustable gripping jaw 6 around the pipes, and adjuststhe member 5 to produce the desired gripping engagement. The locking bar 16 v is then pressed into engagement with the handle 1, with the resultant clamping of the arm 8 of the adjustable gripping jaw between the fixed locking jaw 15 and the movable locking jaw 16. The operator then manipulates the wrench in the usual manner, and as soon as the operation is finished the release of the gripping aws. from engagement with the pipe may be accomplished by merely relieving the pressure on the locking bar 16. When the pressure is relieved on the bar 16, the spring 25 will act to swing the bar on its pivot 21, withdrawing the movable locking jaw 16 from engagement with the arm 8, and permitting the operator to draw the arm 6 of the adjustable jaw 5 from engagement with the pipe or other structure to which the wrench is applied.

Relative to the particular advantages re sultant from the novel form of wrench provided in this invention, it is to be noted that the locking of the adjustable gripping jaw in adjusted position is accomplished by merely gripping the handle 1 in the usual manner, and that the release of the adjustable jaw 5 is accomplished by merely removing the hand from the handle 1.

In reduction to practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is the most eflicient and practical; yet, realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of 0011- struction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention, as defined in the appended claim.

lVhat is claimed is:

A pipe wrench comprising a handle, a jaw mounted on one end thereof, a pair of side plates secured to said handle, a locking jaw secured to the rear ends of the side plates, an adjustable jaw, a shank integral with said adjustable jaw and slidably mounted between the handle and said locking jaw, teeth formed on the front and rear faces of said adjustable jaw shank, a pair of bracket arms secured to said handle, a locking bar pivotally secured to said bracket arms, said locking bar provided with an elongated. slot in one end thereof, a semi-circular locking jaw pivotally mounted in the slot and provided with teeth along its longer edge adapted to engage said adjustable jaw shank and said locking bar provided with a cutaway portion adjacent the slot providing means whereby said locking bar may be swung forwardly and backwardly to engage or disengage the adjustable jaw.

In testimony whereof I al'l ix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK Gr. BASSO. lVitnesses S. FRARY, CIIAs. PALLE'I"I.O.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

